Our Bonds

Working with shipgirls can sound like a dream job, especially when you are the only male and everyone else around are young girls. However it is not as easy as everyone thinks. Apart from doing reports and giving orders, the Admiral is responsible for the safety and the morale of their fleet. I learnt that the hard way when I was first appointed to Maizuru Naval District.

Apart from being responsible of your shipgirls, one must also be prepared for any surprises. Like the time Yuudachi started acting like a puppy when she got her second remodel or when Azur Lane showed up. In fact, in my 5 years of being a Admiral, I should be used to surprises by now. Yet...

"What the hell happened?!"

"I don't know! They were like this when we found them!" (Suzuya)

Sitting on Suzuya's palm were two fairies that resembled Shigure and Yuudachi. However, those two are not fired. They were the actual shipgirls.

"After defeating the Abyssals in the area, we found a small blue cube. When Yuudachi picked it up, it exploded. Shigure was caught in the blast. They were like this when we found them on Yamashiro's head." (Zuihou)

Yamashiro's head? They got blown onto Yamashiro's head?! That sounds way too funny. Even Agano is trying to hold back her laughter.

Suzuya placed them on my desk. Yuudachi started exploring while Shigure seems a little confused.

"Everything is so big poi!" (Yuudachi)

"Um..." (Shigure)

I wiggled my finger in front of Shigure. She grabbed it immediately. So cute! No. Now is not the time.

"I'm sorry. It's all because of my bad luck..." (Yamashiro)

Oh no...

"It's not Yamashiro's fault." (Shigure)

"That's right! It's the Abyssal's fault for having something like that!" (Agano)

"A blue cube did this?"

"Yes. It looked damaged before it blew up." (Suzuya)

A blue cube... I remember seeing those things when Azur Lane had their upgrades. If it was a mental cube, why did the Abyssals have it?

"I going to pay a visit to Azur Lane. Maybe they know something."

"I'll follow you" (Zuihou)

"No. You girls take a rest. You just got back from a sortie."

Besides, I can't let any of them enter a place full of traumatising people.

"What about escorts?" (Yamashiro)

"I already have some people in mind."

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For travels across the sea, Admirals have a small speed boat which they are licensed to use. This speed boat is just as fast as a destroyer, if not, faster and doesn't have any weapons or armour. It's just a normal speed boat. As such, escort sh.i.p.s need to be brought along.

Azur Lane's Base is located on an island near Maizuru. To get there, I need to use my speed boat. I have already sent a telegram to them, announcing my visit. For escorts, I brought along Gambier Bay and Jervis.

To prevent them from flying off the boat, I place Shigure and Yuudachi in my chest pockets.

"So fast poi!" (Yuudachi)

"The wind feels good." (Shigure)

"This is the first I've seen a something like this. Are you alright, Shigure-san?" (Gambier Bay)

"Yes. I'm fine. It's just that everything is so big." (Shigure)

"You guys look like fairies." (Jervis)

"Yuudachi is not a fairy poi!" (Yuudachi)

After a half an hour journey, an island with infrastructure came into view. That must be their base.

The beaches are aligned with shops. Shipgirls from different fractions are mixing around despite their history with one another. Something which I couldn't see back at Maizuru.

We docked at what looks like a port. Waiting for us there is a maid with short, blonde hair. Her eyes are cold and her face remained expressionless. So, Belfast isn't the only maid.

"We have been waiting for you." (???)

The maid did a curtsy as she introduced herself.

"I'm the Town-class cruiser Sheffield. I'll be escorting you to inse- I mean, Master's office." (Sheffield)

She was about to say insect...

"We will be under your care."

Before I could reach out to offer a handshake, Sheffield turned around and started walking.

"Please, follow me." (Sheffield)

"Ahaha. Admiral got rejected." (Jervis)

Jervis snickered behind me. I turned around to respond,

"Shut it."

"Waah! Admiral, please don't move around all of a sudden!" (Shigure)

"So dizzy..." (Yuudachi)

"Oops. Sorry."

I need be careful for now. The both of them are extremely fragile in this state.

We followed Sheffield as she leads us to the Commanders office. The whole place looks similar to ours. There's a building which looks like an academy, some monuments and I can see a few dormitories as well.

"Oh, Admiral-san. You came." (Laffey)

"Laffey."

"Eek!" (Gambier Bay)

"Laffey, long time no see!" (Jervis, in English)

"Jervis? Long time no see." (Laffey)

"Gambier Bay, why are you scared?"

"Sorry..." (Gambier Bay)

"What's that?" (Laffey)

Laffey gestured to Shigure and Yuudachi, who retreated back into my pocket.

"Long story."

"Admiral-san, over here." (Sheffield)

"Oh. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye bye." (Laffey)

I rushed to meet Sheffield, who had long reached the office. She gently knocked on the door.

"Master, our guests have arrived."

The door opened and we were greeted by another maid, Belfast.

"Our dearest guests, please come in." (Belfast)

This whole maid thing is getting awkward.

The office is similar to mine, the only difference is that it is round and there is a coffee table in the middle of the room. In the room, Javelin and a small girl with green hair and cat ears were also present.

I sat on a chair which had been prepared for me. Jervis and Gambier Bay stood on both sides.

"Welcome to Azur Lane. This is your first time here, right? How was it?"

"Didn't really had a time to tour around. Anyway, you know how I'm here."

"Always quick to get to the point. Yeah, I know. Before we get to that, I want to thank you for helping me take care of our little destroyers last week."

"My girls had fun so it was alright. You can thank me by paying back the money I spent on the treats."

"Ahh. I was hoping you forgot about that. But really, now the little ones are picky about the treats I give them. Anyway, where are they?" (Commander)

"Come on out."

I placed my hands my chest pockets. Shigure and Yuudachi slowly climbed out and onto my palm.

"Cute..." (Javelin)

"They are smaller than I thought. I was thinking that they shrunk to the size of a child." (Commander)

"Hello, Commander-san." (Shigure)

"Ooh. So this is Azur Lane's office. It doesn't really look different from Admiral-san's office poi." (Yuudachi)

"They said a blue cube did this to them."

"Hmm... That blue cube might have been a mental cube. But this is the first time I heard about such a case. For starters, Akashi."

"On it nya" (Girl with green hair)

This girl is Akashi?! I thought it was just another destroyer.

"Excuse me for a bit nya." (Akashi)

Akashi moved some sort of stick with a blue tip around Shigure and Yuudachi. As the stick moved closer, the blue tip glows brighter.

"Nya. There are traces of a mental cube. But the reaction is a little too strong. It usually doesn't get this bright. And even if a mental cube explodes, it shouldn't have this kind of effect on shipgirls since we are made from mental cubes." (Akashi)

"But we are not made from mental cubes." (Shigure)

"Eh? You're not?" (Akashi)

All four of my girls shook their heads. The bewildered Akashi turned her attention to the Commander.

"You said they were they same as us! You lied nya!" (Akashi)

"I said they were the same but I didn't say they were made out of mental cubes!" (Commander)

This is going to take a while.